The government of Japan has announced the deployment of its whaling fleet to
hunt 260 whales in the northwestern Pacific, following its killing of 863 whales
earlier this year. Conservation groups around the world, including IFAW
(International Fund for Animal Welfare – www.ifaw.org), have condemned Japan’s whaling
operations as contravening international opinion and law. The launch of the
Japanese whaling fleet comes just weeks before the June 16-20 meeting in St.
Kitts of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), at which Japan is expected
to push for support of its whaling program.

In 1986, the IWC implemented a global moratorium on whale hunting. Japan
continues to hunt whales arguing that the IWC permits lethal whale research.
Hence, it classifies its whaling operations as “scientific” despite
acknowledging that the meat and blubber from the whales it hunts are processed
and sold commercially in Japan. Experts say Japan is misinterpreting the rules.

“Japan continues to snub international law and opinion by sending out its
ships to kill whales,” said Dr. Joth Singh, Director of Wildlife and Habitat
Protection with IFAW. “IWC member nations must take action in St. Kitts and hold
Japan responsible for its disregard of the will of the international community –
that says whales should be protected, not hunted.”

Japan has announced that in 2006 it will hunt 400 more minke whales than last
year for a total of 1,070; as well as 10 fin whales, and a total of 160
endangered Bryde’s, sei, and sperm whales. This would bring the total number of
whales hunted by Japan in 2006 to 1,240, the highest number since the 1986
hunting ban.

IFAW is calling on supporters around the globe to log on to stopwhalingnow.org to take action to
protect whales from commercial whaling. Log on today to make your voice heard.